School House News By Cathy Hoffman Van Wert City Superintendent of Schools

Outgoing VWCS supt. pens last column

    The first article of School House News was written in the fall of 2001, at the suggestion of a several business leaders in Van Wert.  The concept was to devise an ongoing, cost effective tool to help keep our parents and interested community members involved and up to date at what was happening in our district.  Through a partnership with The Times Bulletin, The Van Wert Independent and the Van Wert Voice, these articles have appeared every Monday, and were also posted on our website at www.vanwertcougars.net.

    Over the past several years I have written about upcoming bond issues and levies, successes of staff, students, buildings and administrators, health and nutrition, testing and curriculum, wellness, legislative issues, communication and conferences, athletics, and current trends in education, just to name a few. I now find myself writing my final School House News, and reflecting over the past seven years as superintendent of Van Wert City Schools.

    I am very pleased to have been given the opportunity to serve our community as Superintendent of Schools since January of 2000.  Many exciting events have occurred during my tenure, but most importantly is the fact that the successes and achievement levels of our children continues to improve.  While issues associated with school funding continue to impact most of the districts in the state of Ohio, it is critical that as a community we do not forget what is most important – improving the learning opportunities for each and every child in Van Wert and Ohio City.

    Up-to-date facilities, allowing for enhancements in technology, overall curriculum opportunities  and the fine arts are now available to well over half of our students.   We anxiously await the next phase of construction under the Ohio School Facilities Commission to help improve the facilities for our Kindergarten-fifth grade students.

    As I end my educational career in Van Wert, I welcome Mr. Ken Amstutz as the new educational leader of VWCS. Mr. Amstutz comes to Van Wert with a wealth of knowledge and experience, and I hope that you will welcome him as he works to continue and build upon the vision that has been established for our students. 

    A special thanks to those of you who have worked so hard to make the Van Wert City School District such a great place. My husband and I are fortunate to have called Van Wert our home, and I am pleased that my children are also VWHS graduates. We will always consider ourselves members of a proud Cougar Family.